1. Field
The following description relates to method and apparatus for a triboelectric energy harvester capable of generating triboelectricity by using an electrolyte.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a triboelectric energy harvester operating on friction is a new type of eco-friendly energy harvesting device that can infinitely extract electrical energy not by using the other existing eco-friendly energies, such as solar energy, wind power and fuel cells, but by using mechanical energy that is generated but wasted in our daily life, such as micro-vibration or human motion. The energy conversion using the triboelectric effect has a superior conversion efficiency while ensuring a compact and lightweight structure, and is recognized as a new technology capable of leading to a great leap in technology through fusion with nanotechnology. The triboelectric energy harvester for harvesting an energy using a static electricity caused by friction generates energy from a difference in electrostatic charges that is caused by contact and separation of two materials.
In the recent years, the triboelectric energy harvester has garnered a large amount of attention, but there is a limitation in which the characteristics of the frictional electricity are specified by the friction material selected based on the triboelectric series. That is, unless a selected friction material is changed into another friction material, the quantity of electric charge induced on one friction material is limited, which causes difficulty in increasing the magnitude of triboelectric energy to be generated.
In order to improve the above constraint, there is provided a development of a triboelectric energy harvester capable of generating a greater triboelectric energy when compared to using the generally known friction material, by using new material other than the materials disclosed in the triboelectric series, and capable of controlling the magnitude of triboelectric energy to be generated.